The Three Lucys

Summary of Book

A young Lebanese boy must learn to cope with loss and hope for a peaceful future after losing one of his beloved cats when his village comes under attack.

Luli likes to sit in the shade of an olive tree with his beloved cats: Lucy the Fat, Lucy the Skinny, and Lucy Lucy. But when Luli and his parents go to the city to see his aunt and uncle one weekend, the cats must stay behind at home.

After a fun visit with family, Luli is looking forward to going home and seeing the Lucys. But then Luli's hometown comes under attack and the family must seek refuge at his aunt and uncle's house. Luli doesn't understand what is happening and worries about his pets. Who will keep the three Lucys safe? And when will he and his family be able to return home?

Recipient of Lee & Low's New Voices Honor award, The Three Lucys is inspired by real events of the July War in Lebanon. This tender story of loss, rebuilding, and healing is a tribute to the sustaining love of family, and to the power of the human spirit to hope for a peaceful future.

Author Biography

Hayan Charara makes his picture book debut with The Three Lucys, which is based on his family's experiences in Lebanon. He is also the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts literature fellowship, author of three poetry collections, and editor of Inclined to Speak: an Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Poetry, which garnered glowing reviews. Born in Detroit, Michigan, to immigrant parents, Charara currently lives with his family and a cat in Houston, Texas.

Illustrator Biography
Sara Kahn is known for her emotive, transparent watercolor paintings, which have received numerous awards from painting and illustration competitions. Having lived in Iran during war and revolution, Kahn was moved by this story's tender portrayal of love and care for pets, family, and homeland. She lives in San Francisco, California, with her husband and their cats.